27 nurses sacked

A meeting between the nurses and the management was held today but negotiations failed as the nurses8217; demand of a salary of at least Rs 4,500 per month was not conceded.

The nurses, who sat in dharna in front of the hospital today and last night, alleged that police officials deployed there had misbehaved with them. Their hostel was locked and they were forced to stay out throughout the night, they said.

At a rally held today, nurses8217; leaders alleged that patients were charged five-star hotel rates but the employees were treated at par with dhaba workers. They sought the intervention of district authorities.

Kirpal Kaur, medical superintendent of the hospital, said the hospital was governed by the Minimum Wages Act of 1989 under which monthly emoluments of Rs 1,875 were admissible for a staff nurse. After deducting 12 per cent of the provident fund, they were paid Rs 1,624 per month. Nurses with longer services were getting even up to Rs 4,500 per month, she said.

The medical superintendent said that the hospital being a private one, it could not afford to pay more than the prescribed minimum wages to the nurses.

Denying that any underhand fee was taken from the patients, Kirpal Kaur said that patients were charged Rs 100 as nursing care charges only to adjust other expenses.

She said that under the Factory Act, the nurses were paid double salary for gazetted holiday and weekly off. They were entitled to one weekly off after 48 hours of duty.

The medical superintendent further said that all other private hospitals in the city were also paying wages under the Factory Act.

The striking nurses have been given week8217;s time and thereafter their services would be terminated. Doors were open for negotiation but it was not possible to pay more than government rates of minimum wages, she said.

The nurses, on the other hand, maintained that the hospital was one of the most expensive one in the city where only the rich could afford treatment.